When I started driving a taxi ten years ago, there were only about one hundred taxis in the whole Denpasar area. They all belonged to one company. Today there are five large companies and more than seventeen hundred cars between them. I never had to think about so much competition before.
Tourism has changed South Bali very quickly. It brought bars, shops, hotels and restaurants. We even have McDonald’s and the Hard Rock Cafe now. It has also created a lot of work for Balinese people, not only in hotels but also in construction, shops, transport and garbage collection.
There is a rule saying that businesses and government projects should employ Balinese people first. That sounds good, but many of the newer and more fashionable businesses are not owned by Balinese people. The surf shops, brand clothing stores and stylish restaurants often belong to investors from Java, Japan or Europe. Balinese families are more likely to own a small shop or hotel, sell things on the beach or drive a taxi, as I do.
I am not originally from South Bali either. I came from the west of the island because this is where the work is. Many of the people working in Kuta have done the same. Tourism has a high season and a low season, but there is never a complete off-season. There is almost always at least a little money to be made.
I work for two weeks without going home. Then I have two days with my wife and children before I return to Kuta.
Sometimes I stop in Denpasar to see my son on the way. It is not an easy rhythm for a family, but it is how I earn our income. The prices in the tourist areas have gone up, while our wages have not increased nearly as much.
We still buy our food in the small village markets, where prices are lower than the prices tourists see. A telephone at home is still too expensive for us. Only about one in five families in the villages has one. Those families let their neighbours use it. If I want to speak to my wife, I telephone a neighbour and ask them to pass on a message.
I did buy a television on credit, and I am still paying for it every month. That was important to me. I wanted my children to stay at home in the evenings instead of always going to a neighbour’s house to watch television.
Some changes have made village life better. Every home now has running water and electricity. Ten years ago, that was not the case. Education has improved too, although it has not become cheaper. I am proud that I have been able to give all my children a decent education and a chance of finding good work.
Public transport has not improved in the same way. It is still cheap, but it is unreliable. You may wait an hour for a bus. New roads have been built around Kuta, while old roads elsewhere remain in poor condition. Traffic has become much heavier because almost everyone now needs a motorbike or car to get to work.
Garbage collection is slowly improving, but it cannot keep up with all the waste. I do not think tourists alone are responsible. In the past, many products were wrapped in banana leaves. Now manufacturers use plastic, and plastic does not disappear.
Land has also become very expensive in South Bali. Most Balinese people can no longer afford to buy close to the cities. Families sometimes sell because they need cash and then buy cheaper land further away. The government has encouraged people to rent out their land instead of selling it, so they keep ownership and receive an income. I am not sure how successful that advice has been.
I do not believe tourism has changed the heart of Balinese culture. Young people may dress differently, grow their hair or get a tattoo, but they are still raised with the same principles and take part in our ceremonies. Visitors see an adapted part of our religion and dance. The real version remains ours, mostly outside the view of tourists, and I am happy about that.
Through my work I meet people from many different countries. That is one of the things I enjoy most about tourism.
Tourism has made life more expensive and my work more competitive, but it has also allowed me to support and educate my family. When tourists sit in my taxi, I do not see them as the problem. I see another person whose country and story I may get to know.